Did You Drink the Forbes Kool-Aid?

Catch The Milk Carton Kids and Sarah Jarosz at Lincoln Theatre on 10/24. Tickets on sale now thru Ticketfly.com.

Big players in restaurant operations and real estate had a lot to say Monday at Bisnow's Restaurant Development Summit. The conversation at The Hamilton hovered on making sustainable food a sustainable business model, and the restaurant climate in DC. We have the top 10 quotes:

Above: DC Brau's Brandon Skall, Roofers Union's Dave Delaplaine, Tarara Winery's Jordan Harris, Green Hat Gin's Saul Mutchnick (with mic), and RG's BBQ Café's Robert Gadsby.

“We've all consumed the Forbes article Kool-Aid that said we're the coolest city, but you have to do something that makes you money, otherwise there will be a domino effect of failures.” – Bill Miller, Miller Walker Retail Real Estate

“Local and sustainable means more than buying from a farmer who drives his tractor down the street... Sustainability means your restaurant is around tomorrow—around a generation from tomorrow.” – Dan Simons, Vucurevich Simons Advisory Group

“It's important to buy from local distillers, wineries, and brewers. It's an easy sell because guests want to try what's local and the price point's a lot lower too.” – Dave Delaplaine

“Restaurants should empower staff by taking them to farms and distilleries to build their knowledge of the production process and a better food culture. – Saul Mutchnick

“Local is good, but local doesn't equal good. We need to put forth good products and demand excellence of one another. Local's just going to be a trend or buzzword if we're not making good products” – Brandon Skall

Above, Busboys and Poets' Andy Shallal greets audience members.

“Restaurants are way more relevant in shaping neighborhoods today. Thus, landlords are willing to get more creative with deal structures.” – David Dochter, Cushman & Wakefield

“This is the scariest and most exciting time in DC. We're under the microscope and people are looking at DC differently. We're now a food town which means we have to be better.” – Bill Miller

“The art of competition is that it's the mother of creativity. People have to think of different ways to do business today, they have to create relationships. There's a lot more camaraderie, but not because people started loving each other, they see it as necessary for success.” – Andy Shallal

“We love having new business come onto H Street. We don't see it as competition with each other; we see it as competition with other neighborhoods.” – Teddy Folkman, Granville Moore's

“People are calling H Street the new 14th Street, but it's not as animated or walkable. New places are being asked to pay rents reflective of where the neighborhood will be in five years when Whole Foods comes in.” – Bill Miller

Constitutionally Approved Distillery

We caught up with Alex Laufer and Sandy Wood at the Bisnow Restaurant Development Summit. They're prepping to open One Eight Distilling in Ivy City—not far from trailblazing New Columbia Distillers (whom you know for Green Hat Gin). The name comes from Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution, which dubbed DC the US capital. The former lawyer and former scientist will produce “Rock Creek Whiskey,” “District Made Vodka,” and “Ivy City Gin.” They will offer tours and tastings.

Don't Count Out Cleveland Park

When Frank Ruta's Palena bid farewell earlier this year, it spawned questions about whether Cleveland Park could remain a dining destination without its flagship restaurant. Dino's also said goodbye and re-emerged in Shaw—a neighborhood with significantly more buzz. Fortunately, the remaining neighborhood gems have upped their game, including Ripple and Ardeo Bardeo, so don't count out Cleveland Park.

Ripple, from chef Marjorie Meek-Bradley, hit on the local/sustainable food trend before it spread like a juicy secret. Because of the restaurant's commitment to local cuisine, the menu is constantly in a seasonal state of refresh. We snapped Marjorie's Border Springs lamb tartare with chanterelle mushroom puree, pickled mustard seeds, and matsutake mushrooms. The RAMMY Award-winning restaurant will also be serving roasted beet agnolotti, beef cheek bourguignon, and olive oil poached golden tilefish this fall.

A few doors down, chef Matt Kuhn is cooking inspired food at Ardeo + Bardeo. Take this Carolina Gold Rice Congee: Rice porridge is ornamented with house Andouille sausage, salt-pepper shrimp, octopus, dashi, and a 63-degree Japanese egg. It's draws on the chef's Southern heritage and his late night meals at Chinatown's New Big Wong—a favorite among chefs. The bowl (that would cure any hangover) is a part of a bountiful fall menu. Other highlights: maple-braised pork cheek on spaghetti squash and boudin blanc-stuffed quail.

Acme: Keeping You LEED

Chances are your restaurant isn't making its napkins in house. That's where 67-year-old Acme Paper & Supply Company comes in, via its five divisions (and it's more than just paper): equipment, packaging, janitorial, retail packaging, and warehousing products. Business development director Scott Attman (here with his family, taking a big bite out of life) says requests from new restaurants span everything from building out kitchens (ovens to glassware) to branded disposable packaging (logos on takeout bags and containers). Also hot: LEED-certified janitorial supplies and equipment to maintain certification (or increase a level). Scott says there are eight family members active in the company, along with 250 “supporting family members,” with 94-year-old grandfather/founder Edward Attman still at work every day (he started the company out of his trunk, selling butcher paper and brown bags). For more info on our sponsor, click here.

Market Watch: Little Red Fox
If the local food movement has a heartbeat, it's at Little Red Fox in Chevy Chase. “Everything is made from scratch—unless we know a local producer does it better,” owner Matt Carr tells us. He brought on chef Anne Alfano, who makes everything from smoky hot sauce, granola, and slow-cooked apple butter to gourmet sandwiches and prepared meals. She's a former private investigator turned culinary school grad who has cooked in acclaimed kitchens like New York's Momofuku Ssam Bar. We snapped the young, driven pair during a recent visit.		In addition to their shelves and display cases of awesome edibles, the market has a standout espresso program showcasing Portland, Oregon's Coava Coffee Roasters. Portland it turns out was the inspiration behind the market, and after a few minutes you can pick up on its Northwestern charm (and we're not talking NW DC). “We have a complicated concept, but that's what makes us unique,” Matt explains. “It also means there will only be one Little Red Fox.”

Chefs Forgo Flatware at F*CK Forks

The buzzed-about Industree event, F*CK Forks, broke in the brand new Mess Hall space in the Edgewood neighborhood of Northeast DC Thursday night. Many local food-preneurs will soon call the warehouse home. Its many nooks and crannies were filled with top DC chefs and mixologists who were asked to ban utensils to support F*** Cancer, which is dedicated to detecting cancer in stage one for a positive prognosis.

We snapped Menu MBK chef Frederik de Pue getting a pork bun lesson from Toki Underground chef Erik Bruner-Yang. (Let's face it, it's not a party unless Erik's buns make an appearance.) Other chefs supporting Industree and the cause included Ripple's Marjorie Meek Bradley, Brabo's Harper McClure, Cava Mezze's Dimitri Moshovitis, and Jack Rose Dining Saloon's Russell Jones. Stiff drinks came from the capable hands of Dram & Grain's Trevor Frye, Chaplin's Micah Wilder, and Ri Ra Georgetown's Rachael Ewing.

Cheesesteaks are Back!

The Taylor Gourmet duo of Casey Patten and David Mazza dropped big news this week. They've expanded their hoagie options at all nine shops to include cheesesteaks. Washingtonians worried they wouldn't have a spot to get their cheesesteak fix once Taylor Charles Steak & Ice closed to make way for Pizza Parts & Service on H Street NE. Right now there are three varieties, and there's a good chance Philadelphia transplants will balk at the unconventional ingredients of two of them. Any guesses?

1) Beef ribeye or chicken, American or Provolone cheese, grilled onions or mushrooms

2) Beef ribeye or Chicken, American or Provolone cheese, cherry pepper mayo, lettuce, Roma tomato, red onion, and smoked bacon

3) Beef ribeye or chicken breast, American or Provolone cheese, marinara sauce, pepperoncini, and pepperoni

Jewish Grub? Heck(man), Yes!
If you have a hankering for Jewish grub prepared with grandma's recipes, head to Heckman's Delicatessen. The new deli from Ronnie Heckman opened its doors in Bethesda earlier this year. We snapped him with his dad, Eric. They specialize in deli sandwiches piled high with pastrami and corned beef all made in house. The king of between the bread offerings is “The Big G, ”weighing in with a pound and a half of corned beef. “90% of people who eat here need a take-home box. It's the norm for half to go home,” Eric says. (Unless you just ran the Army 10-Miler.)		In addition to deli sandwiches that could feed a family of four, Heckman's serves traditional dishes like noodle kugel (pictured), “Meem's Stuffed Cabbage,” potato latkes, and of course “Nana's Matzo Ball Soup.” They have a liquor license and TVs, making them a fun alternative to a traditional sports bar on game day. You'll find Heckman's on Cordell Street, and whatever you do, don't leave without a slice of cheesecake.